Sana Mir highlights need for protecting young athletes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan women’s cricket team’s former captain Sana Mir on Thursday drew the attention of child protection and human rights commissions on the exploitation suffered by children pursuing careers in sports. In a series of posts through her official Twitter account, Mir explained: “Children in sports mostly come from vulnerable backgrounds. Child protection in sports has to be dealt with same seriousness as anti-corruption and anti-doping, if not more.” She added: “I request all child protection commissions formed to make sure that kids in sports are protected also. Child protection law to be made mandatory for all sports boards, child handlers, organisers, clubs, coaches, doctors, trainers etc.”

Mir’s recommendation comes in the wake of the January 4 murder of a child named Zainab in Kasur – a tragedy that has since prompted the public and the authorities to clamp down on cases of child abuse in the country. Cases of exploiting and coercing minors for financial gains are also not unheard of in Pakistan, with an NGO last year accused of using the Street Child Football World Cup team to their advantage. Another case in point could be of cricketer Mohammad Amir who, as a teenager, was allegedly tricked into the infamous spot-fixing scandal of 2010 by his seniors, leading some to question the quality of guidance and counselling available to young athletes in the country.